Metallica - Creeping Death (Studio Version)

Creeping Death is the seventh song on the thrash metal band Metallicas second studio album, Ride the Lightning. Written from the perspective of the Angel of Death it describes the Plague of the Firstborn (Exodus 12:29). Creeping Death is 6 minutes and 36 seconds long and is also Metallica's most frequently played song, having been played over 1100 times since 1983, more than any other Metallica song. It stands as a classic example of the band's thrash style, albeit slower than the Kill 'Em All material. The middle section, based around ominous chants of "Die!" set to a perilous phrygian-mode chord progression, is a fan participation staple during Metallica shows.
It was released as a single in 1984 on the Music for Nations label in the UK and France. The B-sides were the cover songs "Am I Evil?" (originally by Diamond Head) and "Blitzkrieg" (originally by Blitzkrieg). Together these covers were known as Garage Days Revisited, which set the stage for Metallica's next cover record, the Garage Days Re-Revisited EP.
The band was inspired for the song by the second half of the film The Ten Commandments, which is based upon the Bible tale of the plagues which were bestowed upon the Egyptians. When they watched the film, bassist Cliff Burton remarked "Whoa - it's like creeping death," a phrase which the other members took a liking to, so they put it as the song title.
Throughout the song, there is mention of more of the ten plagues. In the second verse, four of the ten plagues are mentioned:
Blood, Running red and strong, down the Nile (The first of the ten, water turned to blood)
Plague (This line might refer to the 5th plague, disease of livestock)
Darkness three days long, (The ninth of the ten, the sun was blocked for three days)
hail to fire (The seventh of the ten, burning hail fell from the sky).
It also mentions God in the second verse as well, with "bush of fire." And in the story, Moses sees God in the form of a burning bush.
The middle section of the song was originally written by lead guitarist Kirk Hammett's former band Exodus. Exodus called the song "Die By His Hand", because of the bridge, where they sang "Die by his hand". (Metallica instead sings "Die by my hand", due to the song being in the view of the final plague) The song was recorded and released by Exodus as a demo, but never appeared on any album.

Slaves
Hebrews born to serve, to the pharaoh
Heed
To his every word, live in fear
Faith
Of the unknown one, the deliverer
Wait
Something must be done, four hundred years

So let it be written
So let it be done
I'm sent here by the chosen one
So let it be written
So let it be done
To kill the first born pharaoh's son
I'm creeping death

Now
Let my people go, land of Goshen
Go
I will be with thee, bush of fire
Blood
Running red and strong down the Nile
Plague
Darkness three days long, hail to fire

So let it be written
So let it be done
I'm sent here by the chosen one
So let it be written
So let it be done
To kill the first born pharaoh's son
I'm creeping death

Die by my hand
I creep across the land
Killing first-born man
Die by my hand
I creep across the land
Killing first-born man

I
Rule the midnight air, the destroyer
Born
I shall soon be there, deadly mass
I
Creep the steps and floor, final darkness
Blood
Lambs blood painted door, I shall pass

So let it be written
So let it be done
I'm sent here by the chosen one
So let it be written
So let it be done
To kill the first born pharaoh's son
I'm creeping death

Category:

Music

Tags:

• metallica
• ride
• the
• lightning
• creeping
• death
• lars
• ulrich
• kirk
• hammett
• james
• hetfield
• cliff
• burton

[Theheavymetalmeat]

@MrMetallica65

yeah that's the bridge composed by kirk hammett...............awaiting megadeth fanboys comment storm

[thedon420333]

@SaferEmerald why must you even put that name on here?

[MonseurMallard]

An all time classic off my favorite Metallica album ever... well, Puppets was great too... and Kill Em' All... come to think of it, it's hard to pick a favorite album, so many great ones.... Although I think this was for a long time, my favorite song by them, except for maybe Ride the Lightning itself, and Jump In The Fire... oh and the Four Horsemen.... fuck it...all their songs are awesome.....

[santillocodymetallic]

@bratmatt22 not will, they do!!

[bratmatt22]

@TheCylrin metallica will always kick ass in the metal world

[TheCylrin]

I was around when this first came out....hope youth now enjoy what I did back then one of the greatest groups of all time...... and that is including Dave.

[lildude2828]

I'm 12 and I fucking love Metallica!!!

[trunative85]

SICK INTRO

[hemplord15]

5:25

[mrfridaynight330]

"whoa it like creeping death"- cliff burton

[zasst444]

CREEPING BACON

[cleverusername456]

omg this solo rapes!!!